Once more, Joel Embiid has found himself in the crosshairs of New York Knicks supporters due to a questionable move.
During Sunday’s Game 4 clash against the Knicks, the Philadelphia 76ers’ standout delivered yet another contentious maneuver that left fans fuming. In the second half, Knicks forward Josh Hart drove towards the basket for a layup attempt and drew a foul from the towering Embiid. However, after the whistle blew, Embiid retreated into Hart, who had fallen to the floor, and inadvertently stepped on Hart’s left shin, prompting Hart to clutch his leg in discomfort.
joel embiid steps on josh hart pic.twitter.com/WTXxRmAJQ5
— ◇ (@d9Hoops) April 28, 2024
Fortunately, Hart seemed to recover swiftly, and there appeared to be no malicious intent from Embiid, who promptly extended a hand to check on Hart’s condition. Nevertheless, Embiid faced a barrage of criticism on social media following the incident, particularly in light of his history of playing with a degree of recklessness.
It’s understandable why Knicks fans are reluctant to give Embiid the benefit of the doubt. In Game 3 of the series just days prior, Embiid had been involved in several contentious moments and was even penalized with a flagrant foul in the opening quarter. In response, a Knicks icon called for the team to assert dominance over Embiid.
— . (@perryoragentp_) April 28, 2024
However, during Game 4, the Knicks refrained from retaliating physically against Embiid. Instead, they outplayed the reigning MVP on both ends of the court, limiting him to a 7-for-19 shooting performance while dominating the rebound battle with 52 boards as a team. This effort propelled the Knicks to a 97-92 victory, granting them a commanding 3-1 series lead and prompting Embiid to express his frustrations to the media post-game.
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